Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1887-04-30
MIRABEAU'S TEST.
A Mysterious Robber and His
Grim Jest.

Not far from Limoges, capital of the
French Province Limousin, stood the
castle of Count de Saillant, widely
known throughout the last third of the
Eighteenth century as n gay place of
assembly for convivial, congcnial spir-
its-old-time French hospitality offering
a hearty welcome to all who could boast
an untarnished ancestral name.
Count de Saillant had married the
sister of the Count Honore Gabriel Vie
tor Mirabeau, afterward the world-re-
nowned hero of the French Revolution,
and at this time known all over France
for his wild adventures and mad pranks.
His brother-in-law and sister were at
present expecting visit from him at
the gay castle, and here he finally az
rived one dayin autumn ofthe year $50.
At this period Mirabeau was in the
thirty-first year of his age; a muscular,
beautifully-formed man below his mas
sive, disproportioned head, disiigured
by the large mouth, immense nose and
countenance distressingly marred by
smallpox, but from which glowed a
pair of fiery, expressive eyes, In every
direction were the bold, reckless adven-
thres Of the young Count known
wild tricks that had more than once
cast him into prison, and it is not sur
prising hat it was with considerable
fear and anxiety that the simple, timid
country people of Limousin awaited the
advent of this intrepid characterin theil
midst.
But never did preconceived impress.
sions appear more unfounded; Mirabeau
abode quietly at the castle of his broth
er-in-law, just as did the other pleasure
seekers; guilty of no e~xtravagances oil
%follies, till Count de Saillant and his
wife were forced to express their admir-.
alton of his exemplary conduct, mt
almost believed that the 'mad-cap'
had at last grown wise.
Quietly and uneventfully the weeks
flew by until winter approached, ant
throughout this time Mirabeau was tn,
center of attraction in the gay circl,
that assembled each evening at Cast,
Saillant. He argued with the priest
until the poor, unsophisticated cleric
ais were completely silenced b,
his unanswerable philosophical que>
tions. To the e~asy-going noblemen h
solemnly foretold the speedy approac
of wholly new era, when the despise
third class, and the yet more despisc
rabble, would rise with irrcsistibl
power and crush with iron heel tn
naughty aristocrats, until, excited b
his grim prophecies, his exasperate
listeners would swear long and lou
by their dauntless courage that nevc
could the nobility or monarchy {
France have aught to fear from tn
dastardly populacc.
But such boasts were received onl
with laughter by Mirabeau; and, wit
cool candor, he asserted that there WEI
no longer heroes to be found anon
the effeminate, cnervated a%ristocrac'
which would fall as mown grass befol
the overwhelming numbers of til
canatle.
1t was evident, however. that mel
words could not intimidate the chiva
ric lords of Limousin; fearlessly theyd
fled all such forebodings, and truly
in their quiet, peaceful province, ther
was still little TO suggest fear, thong
in other sections of France was alread
the ripe seed of revolution falling o
fruitful soil.
Not only did Mirabeau fail in fine
ing one to credit his predictions, BIT
many of his hearers considered the
bravery and honor insulted by such III
flattering representations, and will
drew from his society offended. Thi
did not appearto trouble HIM s%eriousl,
for not u%nfrequently he was exceeding
ly bored by the narrow-minded pcopl
about him; and now, after wAilin
away his morning hours agreeably j
the fine library of the castle, he foun
pleasant recreation for the Afternoon
in long rambles through the surrounC
fng forest; his gun invariably accon
panied him on these solitary excu
sions, but such was his habitual al
straction and absorption of mind tn;
the feathered denizens of the wood 500
found that they had little to fear froi
the intruder.
1t was on II of the early days
November that the monotony of IL
castle life was interrupted by nm e
citing sensation; a bold and DARN
robbery had been committed within
immediate precincts. just at twiligl
as a neighboring nobleman, a freque
guest Of the house, was traversing 4
customary road through the forest,
gun-barrel was suddenly thrust |
tween the thick bushes, while II dee
hoarse voice cried stcrnly:
Halt! Your money or your hfe!'
Feeling no desire, as the noblem
aftcrward explained, to yield his !
for the sake of a few louis dor, he
stantly threw his purse upon the grou
and dashed of without venturing
look back.
Robberies, or serious crimes of a
kind, were Of rare occurrence in Lii
ousin, and less frequently still We
they ever traccable to the quiet inha
itants, but almost invariably TO hie
waymen, from a distance. passiI
through the province. II was at on
surmised. therefore. that this audacio
deed must be the work Of some 81
Intruder. aud Count de sainlant ga
wholesale Instruction 70 spare no IN,